When remodeling your kitchen it’s common to arrive at the dilemma of who to trust. The kitchen can be viewed as the “heart” of a home, it’s where most people spend a large portion of time whether cooking or helping their kids with homework. So it makes sense to be critical of who you are entrusting with helping you to create a more functional space. Hiring an interior designer or architect might not be your first thought for a kitchen renovation, but it is probably the correct solution. This is a crucial piece of your home and there is more to it than just replacing cabinets and putting in a new counter.
While a kitchen designer specializes in cabinetry and the function of the kitchen, an interior designer/architect is an individual trained to redesign every piece of the home. Interior designers and architects don’t just focus on the kitchen but evaluate how it will interact with the home as a whole. In fact, good interior designers and architects usually work with a kitchen designer to create the right cabinet solution for your space. Aside from looking at the bigger picture, interior designers and architects work as an advocate for clients to make sure the solution meets the need. The goal is to make the design process as stress-free as possible by listening to the challenges and wishes of the client and finding the best solution for the budget. The process could also include taking out a wall to allow for a more open concept, creating a more cohesive space, replacing flooring, and adding a pop of paint color or rather a holistic approach to the design solution. Renovating a kitchen could also include creating a lighting and electrical layout to optimize the space foraging-in-place, another design concept that should be considered. Interior designers and architects can do all of this and more while blending with the existing style of your home or updating the look to a new aesthetic.
The interior brick walls along the stair that were once covered in black char from the 80’s fire have been scraped. The stairs have been rebuilt leading to the second floor.
Heading into the second floor, the window and door opening from the fire was preserved showing the fire damage.
Where there once was a hole in the floor, now there is a kitchen finished with Alberene soapstone counters and Wolf Cabinets.
There are many options for your kitchen countertop, but all seem to have pros and cons making this a hard decision. So which one should you use in your new kitchen? Which one is right for you? Here are some pros and cons of commonly used kitchen countertops to help you make your decision.
Soapstone
Cost range: $75 – $150 psf
PROS:
-versatile in design/colors, wide range of color from almost pure white with slight marbling to charcoal gray with nearly solid color, very non-porous, doesn’t require sealing, stain resistant, easy to clean with just soap and water, doesn’t harbor bacteria, chips/scratches can be easily sanded/buffed out
CONS:
-soft/easy to scratch, high price
Granite
Cost range: $95 – $150 psf
PROS:
-wide range of color/movement, scratch resistant, high quality, hard surface, heat-resistant,
CONS:
-porous, needs to be resealed often, stains easily when not sealed properly/frequently enough, crack or chip when something heavy is dropped on it, high price
Marble
Cost range: $125 – $250 psf
PROS:
-beauty, wide variety in color and movement, heat-resistant
-wide range of color, won’t chip or crack, non-porous because it is engineered, high quality, very hard substance, heat-resistant
CONS:
-not as natural of a look as natural stone, seams can be noticeable sometimes, not as heat-resistant as granite, high cost
Slate
Cost range: $50 – $65 psf
PROS:
-non-porous, doesn’t harbor bacteria, won’t absorb liquids, very hard and durable, heat-resistant, affordable (can be half the price of granite/marble/soapstone/quartz), won’t easily scratch/chip
CONS:
-corners can be slightly brittle (recommended to round edges to prevent cracks or injuries), less color variation than other natural stones
Wood
Cost range: $35 – $200 psf
PROS:
-appearance, variety in color/grain, warm to touch compared to stones, recycled/recyclable, good work surface
CONS:
-require regular/proper sealing, can be damaged by water if not treated properly/regularly, may need refinishing, scratch and dent fairly easily
Solid Surface
Solid surface countertops are man-made blends of acrylic and polyester. An example is Corian.
Cost range: $75 – $120 psf
PROS:
-very wide variety of colors, non-porous, stain resistant, formed into nearly any shape and size
CONS:
-can be damaged by heat, not as much variety and depth in color/movement as a natural stone
Laminate
Cost range: $20 – $50 psf
PROS:
-inexpensive, very wide variety of color/pattern, easy to clean, quick to install, can be customized into most any shape or design, stain resistant
CONS:
-damaged easily by heat, not very scratch resistant, surface damage is difficult to repair
Are you thinking of hiring an interior designer, but don’t know if it is really worth it? Below are 10 reasons you should hire a professional to take care of your design needs.
1. Professional interior designers are focused on providing solutions that take health, safety, and welfareas their top priority. Many design decisions in your home can have a great effect on the health and safety of you and your family.
2. The field of interior design is always evolving, knowing what is current is critical.
3. Interior designers are trained to apply local and national codes to their designs to ensure their clients get the safest and highest quality designs available.
4. Interior designers are familiar with the current housing market and can advise their clients on what products and design solutions will be a smart investment.
5. Experience is valuable in any and all professionals. Hiring an experienced interior designer can give you peace of mind in knowing that he or she will be making sound design decisions regarding your home.
6. Interior designers have vision. If you are struggling to come up with a solution to your awkward kitchen layout, insufficient storage, or you think your home just needs a major renovation, interior designers can see the big picture and create design solutions that will maximize your budget, space, and style.
7. Interior designers are familiar with the best products in the industry, and can make selections that will work best for you and withstand the wear and tear of everyday living.
8. Interior designers think long term. If you’re building a new home that you want to live in forever, designers know what decisions need to be made now so that you can easily age in place.
9. Interior designers know how to make a space versatile. Versatility maximizes efficiency.
10. Interior designers take a holistic approach to design. Collaboration is a large part of the success of a project, and interior designers often work with architects, engineers, and product experts to ensure that their design decisions are not only doable, but the best possible solution for their clients.
Before you decide to start your home renovation project, call a professional interior designer to set up a consultation. It will be worth a couple of hours to at least check it out.
I spent some time with a contractor at Wintergreen yesterday. We have been doing work on several projects in Nelson County and she wanted to get an idea on cost for a deck design. We toured an amazing rental house that was clearly a million dollar property with a two million dollar view. The deck was in ok shape structurally, but did not fit the interior of the home or take advantage of the views. I know that an investor that is using a rental property to make money does not want to invest in replacing a perfectly good deck (at least it will be for a few more seasons), but think of the repeat clients they would have if they had an incredible deck to go with the incredible home. There is so much potential for this and many of the other homes built 30 years ago at Wintergreen. The homes I have looked at are all showing their age, some more than others, and are ready for a face lift. We offer consulting services to help you get your property energy-efficient, interior design services to help you update the look, and architectural services to help you remodel. Give us a call it you want to talk about how to best take advantage of your million dollar views!
